


Asexuality

by crazycatt71



Series: Learning [3]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Asexual Character, Asexual Relationship, Asexuality, M/M, MCU Polyship Bingo, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-10
Updated: 2020-01-10
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:48:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22199641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crazycatt71/pseuds/crazycatt71
Summary: Bucky and Bruce talk about asexuality
Relationships: Bruce Banner/Thor, James "Bucky" Barnes/Clint Barton/Phil Coulson/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: Learning [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1433767
Kudos: 50
Collections: Marvel Polyship Bingo 2020





	Asexuality

**Author's Note:**

> For my MCU Polyship Bingo Square- ace
> 
> First time writing about axsexuality, I tried my best to get a ace charater right

Bruce was standing at the stove, waiting for the kettle to boil when Bucky walked in to the kitchen. Bucky hadn’t known he was back from his trip to India. He didn’t know the mild-mannered scientist very well, he had a tendency to keep to himself most of the time, interacting with Tony on science stuff, but rarely joining the team unless it was Avenger business and half the time that was as the other guy. Bucky gave him a polite nod as he poked his head in to the fridge, looking for a snack.  
“I hear you’ve joined the club.” Bruce said.  
Bucky turned from the open fridge and stared at him.  
“Uh, yes.” He said, slowly, trying to figure out why anybody in the poly relationship would tell Bruce he had joined.  
“Nobody was blabbing your secrets.” Bruce assured him. “Tony calls me and Thor guest members. They didn’t tell you?”  
Bucky shook his head, feeling a little betrayed that his lovers had failed to mention there were other members of their group.   
“Don’t think too badly of them, they probably wanted us to be here before they explained. Our involvement is a little different than the others.”  
Bruce paused to turn of the kettle when it shrieked before continuing. “I’m ace and while Thor is bi, he favors woman.”  
Bucky knew bi was short for bisexual, the term applied to him, but he had acquired a lot of information on sexuality and gender lately and it sometimes got a little jumbled in his mind, so it took a minute before he remembered what ace meant.  
“You’re asexual.” He said.  
Bruce nodded.  
“You don’t like sex.” Bucky said, trying to recall what he had learned about asexuality.  
“I don’t dislike sex so much as I don’t get sexually aroused and have no interest in sexual activity.” Bruce replied. “I don’t have a negative opinion about sex, I just don’t want to participate.”   
Bucky thought for moment. He didn’t want to insult Bruce, he liked him, but he really wanted to ask a ton of questions.  
“You want to ask me about it.” Bruce said with a smile.  
“Yeah, but I don’t want to be rude.” Bucky said. “I mean, it’s your private stuff.”  
“Ask, if I don’t want to answer, I’ll just say so.” Bruce told him. “Keep in mind I can only speak about my own experiences. Sexuality is different for everybody.”  
Bucky nodded as he sat on a stool at the breakfast bar. He had all kinds of questions running through his head and couldn’t decide which one to start with. Bruce took pity on him and started talking.  
“Like I said, I don’t get aroused or have any interest in sexual activity. Some aces masturbate, I don’t, it just doesn’t appeal to me. I’m not fond of kissing, though to be honest, I often wonder if that’s because I’m ace or because I’m a biologist and the thought of sharing all those germs just freaks me out.”  
He gave Bucky a grin as he took a sip of his tea.  
“I love to cuddle, though I have to be very comfortable with someone before I do.” He continued. “Nudity doesn’t bother me, not only am I a biologist, I appreciate the beauty of the human body.”  
He gave Bucky an appraising look’  
“I can understand why the others wanted you to join the group. You are a very attractive man.”   
Bucky ducked his head as a blush crept across his cheeks.  
“Full disclosure, Thor and I are in a relationship. Tony calls us cuddle buddies. Thor calls us boon companions. We keep each other company, share a bed, love each other, we just don’t have sex. Thor has a couple of ladies who take care of that for him with my blessing.”  
“You said Thor is bi, but favors women. Does that mean he has had male lovers?” Bucky asked.  
“Yes, but he says he’s very selective of the men he takes to bed and hasn’t met anyone he wants in a long time.”  
Bucky thought very carefully about asking the next question that popped into his head, then just decided to go for it, if he didn’t want to answer, he wouldn’t.  
“Were you always ace or did it happen after you became the Hulk?”  
“Always was, though I didn’t know there was a name for it or there were others like me until I went to college.” Bruce told him. “I just thought there was something wrong with me because I wasn’t obsessed with boobs and didn’t want to get laid all the time like the other guys.”  
Bucky could sympathize, he grew up in a time where liking the same gender got you labeled a deviant.  
“So you’ve never…..” Bucky trailed off, embarrassed as he realized just how personal a question he was asking.  
“Had penetrative sex?” Bruce said. “I tried to once, at a party a buddy of mine had while his folks were out of town. I got really drunk and went in a bedroom with a girl, couldn’t get it up, blamed the booze, never tried again.”  
He gave Bucky’s arm a squeeze.  
“It took me a long time, but I’m ok with my sexuality.” He said. “I found a group of people and a partner who accept me as I am.”  
He finished his tea and carried his empty mug to the sink.  
“I’m really glad you joined the group.” He said. “I hope we can be friends if not more.”  
“I’d like that,” Bucky told him, “but “I’m going to need you to tell me if I say or do something wrong. I don’t want to hurt you.”  
“I will. Communication is key in any relationship.”

Later that day, a cuddle pile had started to form on the big couch in the common room. Phil was at on end with Clint next to him. Tony was stretched out with his head on Clint’s lap and his feet in Bucky’s lap. Steve came with bowls of popcorn and flopped down on the floor beside Bucky’s legs after passing out the bowls. They were squabbling over what movie to watch when Bruce walked in.  
“Brucie bear,” Tony squealed happily, “glad you could join us.”  
“Yeah, about that,” Bruce said as he sat down next to Steve, “why didn’t you tell Bucky about Thor and me being part of the group?”  
“Uh…” Tony stammered while the others just looked shamefaced.   
“Uh, Buck, Thor and Bruce are part of our group, just not the sex parts.” Steve said.  
“Yeah, Bruce and I talked all about it earlier.” Bucky told them. “We’re all good, this time, but none of you had better be keeping any more important stuff from me or I’m out.”  
“We weren’t trying to keep anything from you,” Tony said, “we just wanted to wait for Bruce, it’s kind of his story to tell.”  
“You could have said Bruce and Thor were part of the group without going in to details.”  
“We kind of dropped the ball on that one.” Clint mumbled. “Sorry.”  
The others quickly added their apologies.  
Bucky glared at them for a minute, then relaxed and smiled.  
“Like I said, we’re good.” He said, “And we’re watching Herbie the Love Bug.”  
Nobody argued. As the movie started, Bucky looked at Bruce and winked. Bruce grinned back as he settled in to watch the movie.


End file.
